Tales of a Darkened Heart
by Stor-E-Phool
Summary: Jane tells Princess Lavinia the story of how a Knight in shining armor stole her heart away.
1. Chapter 1

**_Tales of a Darkened Heart_**

**By Stor-E-Phool**

Baking was not Jane's forte. Having to measure out the ingredients and combining them in the right order was, quite simply, much too time-consuming in her opinion. Time could be far better used out on the battlefield where her skill was needed, not in the castle kitchens! But, alas, this was the price one paid to bear child.

Jane smiled and lowered her eyes toward her swollen stomach. Sighing contentedly, she stroked it. Six months down, three to go.

"Lady Jane! Lady Jane!" A young voice called from outside. Jane glanced up to see Princess Lavidia bounce through the door. "Have you a present for me? Its my Birthday today, you know!"

Jane laughed and stood heavily to her feet, supporting herself by the chair in which she had been resting. "Yes, Princess. I am aware of what day it is. In fact, little Miss Thirteen, I am baking your cake this very moment. See it there in the hearth?"

Princess Lavidia closed her eyes and shook her head. "No, no, no, Jane! The Birthday Girl must not see the cake before it is time to blow out the candles! Don't you know ANYTHING about Birthdays?!" the serious expression on the Princess' face summoned yet another laugh from Jane. Though the Princess was turning thirteen--imagine! Time went by faster and faster with every year that passed!--she still maintained a very child-like manner.

"I should say I do! I've had a whole eighteen of them, myself!" She laughed and picked a bit of lint from the Princess' lacey shoulder. Her new Birthday Dress was most certainly a beauty. It was a brilliant, deep green color made from a soft, light material. She was a vision of loveliness in it, with her hair all up in an elegant chiffon. Jane smiled and turned back to her baking ingredients.

"Lady Jane?"

"Yes, Princess?" Silence. Jane turned to see a beet-red Lavidia with her eyes downcast. "Princess?"

"Well, I, uh... this is a bit of a personal inquiry, but I've been wondering this for a while now..." Princess Lavidia's color darkened and she met Jane's eyes. Jane had a pretty good idea where this was going.... "...How is it that you and King Pheobis--of all people--got married?"

Jane smiled, and sunk back into her chair. She pulled a bowl of sweet dough from the kitchen counter and gestured for the young majesty to take a seat. "Well, Highness, this is quite a long story, but I suppose you're old enough to know." Princess Lavidia practically leaped into the seat across from her impregnated rolemodel and leaned forward, listening intently to what Jane had to say. Jane smiled softly and leaned back to take stress off of the baby and her belly. Her poor stomach was so big these days that it nearly rivaled even Sir Ivan's girth. "...You remember the big stink over Dragon a couple of years ago, do you not?"

"Of course! The one just before that big ol' fire on the mountain that awful summer, right?"

"Exactly right, Princess. That was what started it all, you know. The Big Stink."

**_A/N: Gasp! Jane in the kitchens? Married? PREGGERS? How? Why? Whom? Well, it seems Jane is about to explain the whole story to Lavidia and us. Better tune in later for the next Chapter!_**


	2. Chapter 2

**_Tales of a Darkened Heart_**

**By Stor-E-Phool**

**A/N: Oh noes! Stor-E-Phool made an oopsies, apparently! I've spelled Lavinia's name wrong, according to one of my much-appreciated reviewers! :( I really must appologize. You see, I've only seen the television show, not the book, and neglected to read the credits for the correct spelling. Consider it the past! I shall spell it correctly from now on.**

**To answer some questions in the reviews as to Smithy: Yes, Jane and Smithy belong together! I aspire to write a fic representing this pairing in the fangirlish way it deserves! XD**

**Is this story JaneXSmithy? Well... the first chappie says she marries a King Pheobis... but don't despair, readers! Just read.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Jane and the Dragon. If I did, Gunther's father would have met his untimely death long before he ever got a go at raising a child. :) And Jane and Smithy would suddenly be caught up in eachother's eyes. Or Dragon would suddenly gain the ability to transform into a Shortlife and sweep Jane off of her feet. And Pepper would find herself a less irritating voice.**

The high, noon sun was unrelenting as it beat it's rays down upon the vegetables in the garden. Jane could smell the warm, juicy red tomatos on the air, and a longing for something sweet hit her mouth. Cravings. She turned her nose up and away, and looked at her Princess.

"Alright. Where were we?"

"Really, Jane! Your wandering mind! The Big Stink about Dragon, silly." Princess Lavinia took a spoon from the drawer just above her head, and dug it as deeply as she could into the sweet dough in Jane's lap. Raising it to her mouth, she stared up at the red head expectantly.

Jane patted her stomach. "Ah, yes. The Big Stink. Well, back when I was just barely sixteen-- It a mere two years ago! Yet it seems like such a vast amount of time has passed since then!-- Dragon and I always patrolled the borders of the Kingdom from the sky. We didn't know it then, but we were so famous and feared by the other lands, even the bigger ones--"

"Like Dresyl."

"--yes. _Especially_Dresyl. Though our two Kingdoms are very much at peace now-- what with the new treaty and all-- we were very much at eachother's throats back then. Oh, what a difference a year can make! Who knew two armies would lay down arms for love? We sure didn't know what the marriage would do, but such a fuss over a simple baby--"

"Lady Jane. The Stink. I want to know about the Big Stink."

Jane rolled her eyes. She had been getting to that, hadn't she? Interruption after interruption! "Yes, young Majesty, of course! The Stink. The other countries had been terrified that if they took a single wrong step, our Kingdom would immediately bring on the threat of a thousand and three fires down upon their heads! And it was quite possible, the way Sir Ivan ran things after Sir Theodore died of the influenza that winter. The man was-- and still is, if you ask me-- in mourning over our dear master's passing. I feel he took it out on others that his good friend had died outside of battle. I think he was just trying to compensate for Sir Theodore by fighting his hardest to somehow win back his supposedly lost honor or something, but really did he have to be so harsh? I mean--"

"Ahem. Stick to your subject, Lady Jane." Princess Lavinia smiled devilishly up at her, and Jane tightened her lips. Maybe she _did_ wander a bit when telling a story.

"Yes, of course. The countries--especially Dresyl-- were scared. So, their King--"

"--King _Phoebis_!" Lavinia giggled, a blush of giddiness seeping into her cheeks. Jane smiled. Silly Highness! Jane couldn't believe Phoebis had such a fanclub. Even Pepper-- now living in a house bustling with children-- couldn't hold back a blush when his name was mentioned.

"Yes. King Phoebis hatched a plan to take away our Kingdom's power." Princess Lavinia gasped.

"By taking Dragon?! No!"

Jane smiled tersely. "Am I the one telling this story, or are you?"

"You are. Sorry!" Princess Lavinia said, though the mirthful glint in her Majesty's eyes clearly showed she was not in the least bit apologetic.

"Thank you. Now. King Phoebis planned to take Dragon down from the sky with a barrel of tar set ablaze. He waited for ages for Dragon and I to come flying around the border on patrol. As soon as he spotted us, he let the cattipults fly! Dragon, though he is the best flying lizard I know, couldn't have possibly dodged all of those barrels! They hit him one by one, until his wings were so covered in tar that we had to land. And guess who was there to meet us on the ground."

"Phoebis?!"

"Phoebis. And you should have seen the boastful face he was wearing that morning. That man was more smug than Sir Gunther ever was when he beat me at sparring back when I was your age. I thought he was Satan himself on the day of the Crusifixion!" Jane took a fingerful of sweet dough and inhaled it into her mouth. It filled her mouth with the flavor of honey and flour. Lavinia was gobbsmacked.

"I simply _cannot_ imagine the noble and kind King Phoebis being so spiteful! I do not believe it." She turned up her already upturned nose at Jane and looked away, trying not to listen.

"Oh, believe it, Highness. Believe it. Our beloved King Phoebis was not always the warm, kind man we now know him to be. He had to learn to be so good. But anyway, Princess Lavinia, he took poor Dragon and hauled him away, leaving me tied to a tree to fend for myself. Dragon was so out of it from the fall from the sky that he didn't know his head from his tail. I had to rescue him before they did something irreversible to him! I slipped from the knots they tied--I was so very thin back then--and chased off after them.

"By that time, the trail was old and well-trodden over; it had taken a few hours for me to come to(they knocked me good when they left), and I had to mostly follow the odor of burned tar and unbathed reptile. Finally, I neared them as night had set in, and hid in the bushes near their fire. I was determined to awaken Dragon with my sword's song if I had to. I prayed that our Kingdom would send Knights in search of Dragon and me, but their arrival, I was afraid, might come too late.

"I snuck toward the humongus cart they were transporting Dragon in--they had the cart made especially for this occasion, apallingly enough!--and worked to release the steadying ropes slung and tied across him. Suddenly, an armoured hand grabbed my wrist! I turned to stare into the enraged face of King Phoebis.

"'You again!' He growled, and threw me to the ground before him, 'When will you silly people give up? You have very clearly been bested several times today.' Even though I couldn't see his face at that moment, I could sense from it's voice that that fiercely smug face adorned his face yet again." Jane paused and glanced at the Princess. Her eyes were glazed over and she was in deep thought, trying to picture her knight in shining armor doing such a thing. Jane smiled. "Your Highness, I believe I have some work to do here in the kitchen for another hour or two. Your cake seems to be done and I must decor--" The princess jumped up.

"Oh! You must'n't let me lay eyes upon it! Not until the party!" Her face was filled with concern, and Jane laughed.

"All the more reason for us to resume this tale at dinner tonight, when we'll have more insight from..." Jane paused for dramatic effect, "...my husband himself!" The princess' face filled with realization.

"King Phoebis is coming to my party?! He really is?! No jesting?!"

"No jesting." She assured, and chuckled as Lavinia sped from the kitchen, shouting her joy all through the castle.

**_A/N: Okay. So I hope that this wasn't too boring, and I promise more fluff soon, cause I know how we all love fluff! Lol. So yeah. Jane is so OOC! I blame the motherly glow. That and sugar-coated pickles and pregger things like that! Lol. I can't wait to dig into this story! :D_**


	3. Chapter 3

**_Tales of a Darkened Heart_**

**By Stor-E-Phool**

**A/N: Okay, third chapter! :D And so begins Princess Lavinia's Birthday party!**

The sun was just beginning to kiss the horizon, and there was a feeling of excitment zinging through the air as the castle readied itself for the impending party. Ladies in waiting and servants were scurrying about in the courtyard, bustling to and fro to finish cooking and decorations in the last minutes before it was time to start. Dukes, Dutchesses, and other such royalty filled the nearby throne room, and the white noise could be considered a little less than annoying as Princess Lavinia skipped past the kitchen wenches going to and from the court yard and the throne room, placing plates of food on the tables in front of her father's great chair; the throne.

Grinning, Lavinia slipped in to the busy kitchen, eyes searching for a red headed maid. "Lady Jaaane!" she called, hands cupping her mouth, "Lady Jaaane!" She glanced around some, wondering where on earth her mentor could be. She didn't see her, and raised her hands to her mouth once again to holler. "Laaaadyyyyy Jaaaaa--"

"Princess Lavinia! Why on earth are you screaming like that?!"

Lavinia turned to see a maid, raven-haired and anxious, wiping her hands clean on a towel behind her. Lavinia smiled. "I was looking for Lady Jane, Pepper! Any idea where I can find her?"

Pepper placed her hands on her hips and cocked her brow. "She's resting up for your party right now. What do you need from her?"

Princess Lavinia looked at the new slippers adorning her royal feet. "... I was going to ask her when I should expect King Phoebis...."

"King Phoebis is coming to tonight's gala?!" Pepper exclaimed, her face flooding with color. She covered her cheeks with her hands and tried to keep her heart from leaping out of her throat. Princess Lavinia nodded her head with pleasure at the older woman's reaction.

"Yep! In honor of _moi!_" She gestured to herself with a regal aire, her smug face was just as King Phoebis' had been when he first knocked Dragon from the sky!--Or so Lavinia imagined.

"_I_ think he came for Lady Jane." someone said behind the bickering two, and both turned to face the intruder in their conversation.

"No! He came for me!" Pepper and Lavinia cried simultaneously with agitation, but their mouths hinged open in shock.

Before them stood a tall, broad-shouldered man with gleaming brown eyes and dark hair leaning against the door frame of the kitchens. Princess Lavinia's open mouth widened into an excited grin, and she made a mad dash for the stranger.

"KING PHOEBIS!!!" No one was more surprised than the man himself when he suddenly had a princess around his neck, cutting off his breathing. She squeezed his neck harder. "I'msogladyou'rehere!!!!"

"Okay! Just let me go!" He laughed. One would say that he had a nice laugh; low and quiet and sweet. It made Lavinia want to squeeze harder, but she un attatched herself from him instead. His smile was as sweet as his laugh as he set her on her feet, "How are you, Birthday Girl?"

"Birthday _Lady_." She corrected, adjusting her blouse and straightening her spine to it's full height, just to show how mature she was. Phoebis merely smirked and ruffled the princess' already-messy hair. It had obviously been fixed earlier in the day, but no longer. He saw a flash of color from the corner of his eye and looked up. His jaw and smile dropped.

"Lady Pepper." He said in a serious tone, "Go fix the Princess' hair before the party begins, will you?" Pepper began to pout, but then, upon seeing what he saw, she nodded in understanding and pulled the Princess into the kitchen with a comb in hand.

Butterflies flittering in his stomach, King Pheobis made his way up the stairs to the woman waiting for him. Her long hair, which had grown now to hang to her mid-back, was pulled back into a high bun, rebellious curls falling prettily to her shoulders and bangs braided down to the sides of her face. Her brilliant white dress was gathered at her bust and the rest of it fell loosly to the ground. Phoebis finally came to the top step and put his arms around his wife. The skin at her nape was soft under his rough, scruffy chin, and he stepped back to admire her from up close.

"You look beautiful, Jane." He kissed her flushed cheek and trailed his index finger along her jawline. He could barely make out, but he thought he heard a mumbled "Thank you". He kissed a trail along her cheek to her mouth and finally their lips met for the first time in weeks. She moaned and he stopped.

"Why do you have to be gone so long everytime?" she muttered, and hugged his chest. He smiled and kissed her hair. She smelled of flour and chocolate.

"...You've been working in the kitchens again? But you hate cooking." She nuzzled his shirt and smiled.

"I had to make Her Highness' Birthday cake, didn't I?" Jane laughed, and gestured for them to start down the stairs.

"But the Baby. You haven't been over-exerting yourself, have you?" Phoebis laid his hand on Jane's tummy protectively.

"Of course not. It was only cooking, honey!" She rolled her eyes. She took three steps down the stairs to show that she was able to take care of herself, much to the dismay of her husband.

"Jane! You'll hurt yourself!"

"Really! I'm fine! I can walk down the stairs by myse--" in her haste, Jane missed a step and began to fall. She squeezed her eyes shut and hugged her belly. Fear for her baby churned in her stomach and she let out a yelp. Strong arms surrounded her in an instant and her worries stopped. Jane opened her eyes, tears tumbling down her cheeks, and saw the worry-ridden face of her husband staring down at her.

"Jane!" His bright brown eyes shined with anxiety, and he held her arms in a death-grip. Jane smiled tentitively up at him.

"...Thank you, Phoebis." She kissed his lips, trying to ignore his scruff, and smirked her husband's smirk to make him relax. "What would I do without you?"

**_A/N: Hi, guys! :) Sorry, gotta stop this chappie short! I have school tomorrow! Well, this had a LOT of fluff, and i hope you liked it! Yeah. A lot of people have been saying that they don't like how "domestic" Jane is. Well, Jane has grown older and wiser, and has gone through a lot. :) Being committed to marriage can bring out different aspects of a person. Lol, I guess a lot of you probably just assume OOC, but guess what! Its on purpose. No worries, though, cause she still has a stubborn streak which I hope came out in this chappie! :) Well! Review! Tell me what you think! Lol._**


	4. Chapter 4

**Tales of a Darkened Heart**

**_By Stor-E-Phool_**

**A/N: Goodness Glaciers! I'm so happy! Must be because of all of the snappy responses I got! Wow! Thanks for the over-night reviews, guys! :) You made this author very happy! Now I'm repaying your support! XD**

The throne room was uncharacteristically loud, filled with every Lord, Lady, Duke and Duchess that could be found. The walls were decorated in pine green drapes and pink roses, with the light of the moon shining in through the windows. All was excitement as Jester juggled his bottles and Sir Ivan showed the King his new inventions. In the corner, Sir Gunther could be seen posing and strutting about, cocky as a rooster, for all the gathered ladies-in-waiting winking in his direction.

However, as King Phoebis and Lady Jane entered the room, every mouth was silenced. Jester stopped his juggling, Sir Ivan ceased his boasting, and Sir Gunther turned to glare in their direction.

"Everyone, welcome my good friend King Phoebis and his Lady, Jane!" cried King Caradoc into the hushed crowd, raising his arms amicably. Suddenly, the blur of a deep green dress rushed past the King, the tables, and the clusters of people only to bowl into Phoebis' stomach.

"King Phoebis! King _Phoebis_! Welcome to my party! Isn't everything just _lovely_?" Laughed Princess Lavinia, nuzzling her forehead into Phoebis' leather belt, "You simply _must _sit by me! Right next to me: on that table there!" She jutted her finger toward a seat near the front of the court and jumped up and down. "But not right now. The dancing is about to start!" With that, and before King Phoebis could object, Princess Lavinia plunged into the crowd to find a partner. Jester and a few fools from other courts suddenly began to play a lovely Celtic tune on their lyres and mandolins.

"Would you care to dance, _Mademoiselle_?" Jane looked up at Phoebis in surprise. He was offering his hand, light eyes shimmering in the flickering torchlight. She smiled and placed her hand gingerly in his palm.

"_Surely _you didn't expect me to say 'no', _monsieur_?" She asked, twirling, then spinning back into his arms, her back to his chest. It always somehow surprised her that he was so solid. Like nothing could blow him down, not even dragon breath.

"_'Surely'_, she says!" he mimicked teasingly, stepping back and smiling as Jane mirrored his moves effortlessly. "_Last time_ I asked you to dance with me, you punched me in the nose!"

"Well, that was different! You were deliberately trying to rile me up! Back when we were constantly at eachother's throats, remember?" She grinned and spun back to their first position. He chuckled and spun her.

"I remember." He assured her, stepping forward as they began the motions of their dance once again. Suddenly, with her usual exuberance, Princess Lavinia burst from the crowd and grasped King Phoebis' wrist in mid-step. He looked down at her with surprise.

"_I _don't remember, King Phoebis! _Do _tell me the story!" Princess Lavinia jumped up and down as if she were still seven years old, and Phoebis glanced at Jane with a silent plea in his eyes. Jane nodded her understanding and took one of Lavinia's hands into her own.

"Your Highness! What a lovely idea!" Lavinia nodded her agreement with excitement and Jane continued. "But you know, that is simply a story for the dinner table. Let's wait until then!" Princess Lavinia's eyes widened at the idea.

"Oooh, quite right, Lady Jane! The dancing was boring, anyway!" she turned and ran toward her father's thrown. She stood as tall and regal as she could on the platform, then slammed her hands together in a single clap that resonated off of the walls and got everyone's complete--if astonished--attention.

"Hello, everyone! I have decided that we shall eat and listen to King Phoebis' story! Come along-- sit down!" She smiled sweetly at her audience, then climbed into her seat, waiting for everyone to follow her example. Slowly, the people of the court began to realize that she wasn't joking, and followed suite, King Caradoc glowing with pride at his precious daughter's show of authority.

Jane and Phoebis journeyed toward the table to find a seat.

"Alright, okay! Story time."

**A/N: Okay. So I've been stuck here for an eternity, in these few paragraphs. I had to give myself some momentum, so I'm stopping it here to continue a little later! This is the most pathetic chapter I've ever written, honestly, though I had high hopes that it would make great leaps and bounds in the plot. Well, I appologize and will spit the next chappie out soon. :)**


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